The E3 ubiquitin ligase function of the epigenetic reader PHF16 is crucial for injury-induced intestinal regeneration

The intestine has a remarkable capacity to regenerate during homeostasis by the vigorous intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that reside in the base of the crypts. ISCs are easily impaired by DNA damage due to their active cell cycle. Intriguingly, certain cell populations possess the dedifferentiating ability to restore ISCs after ablation, although the molecular mechanisms by which these cells dedifferentiate into ISCs are largely unknown. Here, we performed single-cell RNA-seq using wild type and Phf16 knockout mice from normal or after irradiation to elucidate molecular mechanisms of Phf16 in intestinal regeneration. Our work characterizes that Phf16 is crucial for downregulating stemness in revival stem cells.